Peter Birk

Executive Chef

Ray's Boathouse lured Chef Peter from Kansas City to its breathtaking Puget Sound restaurant in 2000 for the position of Executive Sous Chef. In 2004, Ray's created the position of Chef de Cuisine to reward Peter's outstanding level of leadership and creativity in menu development and kitchen management. Chef Peter's succession to executive chef in January 2007 exemplifies Ray's unwavering confidence in his proven ability to lead Ray's into the next chapter of our incredible fish story.

Born and raised in Joplin, Missouri, Chef Peter began his culinary career in his family's southeast Kansas restaurant. He attended the Western Culinary Institute in Portland, Oregon and interned at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Kansas City. Chef Peter then traveled extensively and worked at various restaurants throughout the Pacific Northwest, and McCormick & Schmick's Los Angeles and Kansas City locations.

Although quiet and unassuming, Chef Peter is locally famous for his tireless pursuit and promotion of local Northwest seafood and produce. He is an early-morning regular at the Ballard Sunday Farmers Market and has actively become an authority on artisan cheeses, fresh shellfish and crustaceans, sustainability, wild salmon and grass-fed beef.  His skill for classically based preparations with modern twists is a perfect match to the versatility and variety of seafood that Ray's offers.

In addition to the many hours he commits to running the kitchens at Ray's, Chef Peter gives generously of his time for the community. He is an annual participant in charitable events for South Seattle Community College, Shorewood High School, FareStart, March of Dimes, Taste of the Nation, and Long Live the Kings. He also can be seen performing cooking demonstrations at the Pike Place Market and PCC Markets.